Broken Wings
by CadillacJack
Summary: Glimmer knew her wings had been broken, but she also knew that someday…she'd learn to fly again.


**So how about that Season 3?**

**IT WAS THE ABSOLUTE BEST! HUNTARA, CATRA, ADORA'S PAST AND HORDAK'S PAST AND THAT TEAR JERKING FINALE AND…**

***Ahem***

**I absolutely loved the third season and have no problem saying it was the best!**

**Of course by the end I was tearing up from Glimmer realizing that her mother wasn't coming back and decided to write something that showed how she dealt with the aftermath.**

**HUGE thanks to DoublePasse for beta-reading my work for me! One of the best writers in the fandom I may add.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing of She-Ra but I defiantly own all the feels I got from Season 3. :(**

**Broken Wings**

Queen Glimmer.

The words felt wrong.

It was like the words Glimmer used to call herself when she was a mere toddler and played dress-up in her room. She remembered wrapping a towel around her neck, like a cape, standing in front of her large mirror with a stick in hand and proclaiming herself ruler of Etheria, banning all vegetables and lining the streets with candy.

Her parents would often watch her do this ritual from time to time. While her father would proclaim that she would give her mother a run for her money, her mother would roll her eyes, playfully smack her husband and remind him that being a queen was much harder than it appeared.

Glimmer looked back in the mirror in her room.

She didn't recognize the stranger staring back.

The woman wore a long, blue cape, a long purple and white gown that ended just at her knees, gold trimmings along the ends of her sleeves and long blue gloves that ended at her elbows.

Her trademark jewel still stood in the center of her chest, but how it was fused with one of her mother's spare earrings.

She also wore her mother's earrings. Adora was surprised when she learned that she had pierced her ears without any kind of numbing agent or spell.

Glimmer simply stated that the physical pain distracted her.

It had been two weeks since Angella had turned off Hordak's portal machine and saved Etheria from being erased from existence.

Shortly after everyone returned to BrightMoon, Adora took Bow and Glimmer back to her room, sat them down and explained everything that had happened between her and the ruler.

When Adora got to the part where Angella mentioned that she was a coward, and that it was time to be brave, Glimmer couldn't stop her heart from sinking into her chest. Her mind flashed back to the argument she had with her mother, and unfortunately the last time she ever spoke to her.

"_**You'd see that if you weren't totally paralyzed by fear!**_"

"_**You'll always be around telling me what I can't do!**_**"**

"_Why can't things be like that again?_" Glimmer thought.

Glimmer wished she could turn back time. She wished she could've had another moment to enjoy her mother's company, have tea with like the time she was grounded for trying to sneak out or even just to tell her she loved her.

But now…it was gone.

She locked herself in her room for a time, crawling underneath her covers, screaming into her pillow until her voice became hoarse and crying enough tears that would rival the ocean. She often heard Adora and Bow, or some of the other princesses knocking on her door, begging to be let in. She ignored them. She didn't need the inevitable amounts of condolences she knew she'd receive.

Condolences wouldn't bring her mother back after all.

Eventually, she heard the young voice of Frosta echo in her ears, knocking on the door and begging to be let in.

Maybe it was the straw that broke her back, or maybe she just couldn't find it in herself to say no to a child, but either way Glimmer relented and teleported the snow princess into her room.

Apart from the predictable condolences, Frosta actually didn't say a whole lot to her during the time she stopped by. It was as if she were comfortable with the silence. Glimmer found it quite refreshing. But after what felt like ages, Frosta mentioned how she knew what it was like to not only lose both parents but to rule a kingdom at such an early age. Frosta would've left the room then, but Glimmer hoarsely whispered for her to stay. She didn't know which one cried to sleep first.

Their bond had grown stronger over time, with the two of them becoming more like sisters than comrades in battle.

Adora and Bow, of course, were her biggest pillars to stand on. She lost count of how many times she cried herself to sleep in Adora's arms, or allowed Bow to sit with her in silence.

But alas, life had to go on.

BrightMoon still needed a queen to rule the land.

And the duty fell on her.

Glimmer always imagined taking over the throne when she was at a reasonable age, say 30. It would've been a grand ceremony with her mother, standing tall and proud as she announced her retirement and proclaimed her daughter as the new queen of BrightMoon. Glimmer would have also stood proud and tall as the crowd cheered for her and she would feel a deep sense of pride and satisfaction.

But in reality, she was scared.

Her mother never went into great detail about what being a queen truly entailed. And anytime she did find the time to do so, Glimmer's eyes would droop, she'd let out a big yawn and say that there wasn't any rush on her learning the duties of being the queen.

"It's not like you going to be gone tomorrow mom!" Glimmer used to say back to her mother's scolding.

Glimmer had a gut feeling that those words would come back to bite her in the ass someday…she just didn't expect that day to come sooner rather than later.

The sound of the door opening behind her made her quickly wipe her eyes.

"Wow Glimmer!" Adora called out. "You look…great!"

Glimmer remained silent, wishing she could have just a few minutes longer with her thoughts or have her mother barge in and tell her that she was requested for dinner later that night.

"Glimmer?" Bow asked.

Glimmer felt the archer's hand grip her shoulder.

"I…can't do this," Glimmer whispered.

Adora placed her hand on Glimmer's other shoulder.

"My mom practically had leadership in her blood…I'm a warrior. I do better on the battlefield and improvising, not ruling over kingdoms or ensuring all the kingdoms have supplies. I…don't know what to do."

"Glimmer," Adora began. "I'm She-Ra and even I don't always know what to do, if ever. But it's just like your mother told me: I never let fear stop me."

"Your mother would want you to be brave for her, carry on her work just like she wanted you too," Bow added. "Change is scary Glimmer, I'm not gonna act like it's not. But I know that we're not gonna let you face it alone. Me, Adora and everyone else in the kingdom are on your side. No one expects you to be perfect. They just want to know that the kingdom's in good hands."

"And if they haven't figured that out already, that's their loss," Adora added.

Glimmer felt her lips twitch upwards, a sensation she thought she long abandoned.

"You know…since I'm the queen you do have to technically bow in my presence."

Bow and Adora paused for a moment before they awkwardly bowed.

Glimmer felt the heaviness in her chest lessen as her mouth twitched further upwards.

"Of course I could always make an exception for you guy."

Bow and Adora wrapped their arms around Glimmer and hugged her body with all their might.

Glimmer allowed her mask to break as the tears stained her face.

As if on muscle memory, of when Angella used to comfort her, Adora rubbed Glimmer's back in small circles.

"Shhh," Adora cooed. "It's okay, it's okay.

And by the end of the day, Glimmer eventually started to feel better. The erection of her mother's mural, placed next to her father's, gave her a sense of calm, as if her parents were still watching over her and wanting her to move forward.

She wasn't 100 percent better, she had a feeling she'd never be 100 percent better, but the whispering words of doubt that had clouded her mind began to dissipate day by day as she organized more strategies to take down the Horde.

Glimmer knew her wings had been broken, but she also knew that someday…she'd learn to fly again.

**Excuse me I have to go cry in the corner now**

**Yes I did base the title around Mr. Mister's 'Broken Wings'. Love that song! **

**Hope you enjoyed this story! If you somehow haven't done so already watch Season 3 it really is the best one yet!**

**Peace!**


End file.
